Errata
by Mystwalker
Summary: What if, at the end of the war between Cosmos and Chaos, two people did not end up returning to their own worlds? Sephiroth x Terra
1. Per accidens

**Errata**

**By: **

**Mystwalker**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dissidia: Final Fantasy or any of its characters. The setting and plot for this story, however, are mine, as are any OCs.

**A/N: **For those of you who have read / are currently reading **Sins of the Father, **this will be a MUCH shorter project—10 chapters + prologue/epilogue. I don't like doing two things at once, and I want to get this out of the way quickly.

Those of you that _aren't _reading **Sins of the Father**, if you feel up to reading it, please leave a review.

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**PROLOGUE **

**Per accidens **(_By accident_)

He was dying.

Not his body—that had died many times before—but his consciousness itself, the thing that had kept him alive, had allowed him to keep coming back. The puppet had defeated him. It was truly the end. As he fell backwards, surrounded by a light blue glow, he was dimly aware of a pinkish streak to his right, falling beside him for a few moments before vanishing out of existence. The witch—Ultimecia—the eighth warrior of Chaos. He had expected that she would fall through soon.

He could feel the edges of his consciousness beginning to unravel as he fell, the shimmering portal that led to Gaia looming below him. Above him, a streak of blue light shot down, the same shade as his, but without the growing weakness.

Cloud.

He gathered the frayed ends of his consciousness back into himself, watching as his puppet's mind rushed past him, heading back towards the Planet. Sephiroth reached out, grappling with it in an attempt to preserve life. He felt a sudden outraged thought from Cloud, before he was thrown off, hovering in the ether. There was a bright light as Cloud passed through the portal, the gate to The Planet closing behind him.

_So…_he thought. _The Warriors of Cosmos return home…and the rest of us…_

From across from him, another light shimmered out of existence. Kuja had released his hold on life. He couldn't say he was sorry. The reaper reminded him of a much more flamboyant Genesis.

…_We vanish._

Odd that he thought of Genesis and Angeal now. He had always thought that when he finally died, it would be thinking about his Mother. And yet…he couldn't quite keep his thoughts focused. It was as if they were escaping from him, slipping through his fingers. Letting go suddenly seemed so easy…

…He wondered what would happen if Kuja were ever to read LOVELESS.

Another bright light to his right as a pinkish streak shot past him, falling through the portal. Squall, returning home. He felt another light go out—this one belonging to Garland. So that left only three: himself, the Emperor…

…Kefka.

As if noticing it for the first time, he glanced towards the scarlet streak by his left side. It had stopped falling and continued to flare and dim in intensity, as if it was struggling. He watched with mild interest as the part of the streak that was Kefka was forcefully pushed off by the actual streak, flying off and dissolving. So the harlequin understood in the end. Their counterparts had defeated them, defeating them here would allow them to live. He thought he had been the only one to understand the nature of their existence here…the only one with the courage to willingly end his own life in the last cycle, just to understand how the cycles worked.

He felt a slight surprise at the aftershock of that, at the power that Kefka had grappled with, the same power that pushed him away.

The struggle had weakened her; she hovered for a moment, as if she were catching her breath. Power continued to pulse off her in waves. At that moment, Sephiroth made a decision. He gathered his strength and pushed himself out of the streak of blue light, his consciousness careening towards the sixth Warrior of Cosmos. He felt her shock as he collided with her, immediately grabbing hold of her power. She struggled against him, trying to push him off, but defeating Kefka had weakened her, and she was hesitant.

She had been caught off her guard.

The impact pushed them both out of their paths, sending them falling in a completely different direction. He grappled with her, holding tightly as she tried to push him off. He could feel the sense of urgency coming off her as she tried to fight him, but he was strong.

Even until the end, he was strong. He reminded himself of that as they fell into the darkness, their current path unlit by any of the colored lights. In the distance, slipping away from them, he felt the Emperor finally give out. A portal shimmered before them, one that none of the lights led to. He felt Terra's shock as they fell towards it, saw it shimmer and fade as they passed through it, felt also, the boundaries of his flesh beginning to return and surround him…and her as well. He felt his world beginning to spin as the scenery around them faded away, heard and saw a confused jumble of lights and sounds around him.

There was a sudden bright light, and then Sephiroth pitched forward, landing face first into the ground.

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Please read and review! Let me know what you think! Thanks ^__^


	2. Ne humanus crede

**Errata**

**By: **

**Mystwalker**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dissidia: Final Fantasy or any of its characters. The setting and plot for this story, however, are mine, as are any OCs.

**A/N: **I'm using the blond Terra for this fic, because I like that version of Terra better. If you have any problems, feel free to imagine her green-haired. I don't particularly mind either way. Also, sorry for the late update. Two stories to work on and finals coming up. I update **Sins of the Father** and **Errata** alternately, so if you see a new **Sins **chapter posted up, then a new **Errata** chapter is coming up soon.

Big thanks goes to **KitaraStrife** for being the beta for this chapter! Thanks also go to **fire spirit** and **narutofan1091** for the faves and to **fishmaster, OneWingedHeron53** and **narutofan1091** for the alerts! Thanks for the support, guys!

**NinjaSheik - **I know what you mean. I've been waiting for someone to start one too, but when nobody did, I decided to give this plot bunny a chance. Here's a new update! Sorry if it's slow, but I've got finals coming up and two stories to write. Hope you like it!

**narutofan1091 - **Yes, there are going to be a few (read: a lot) of OCs in this story, however they're supporting characters at best. The two main characters will be Sephiroth and Terra. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, it's appreciated!

**OneWingedHeron53 - **Thanks so much for the review! I hope you like this chapter! ^_^

**I. **

**Ne humanus crede **_(Trust no human) _

Sephiroth pushed himself up off the ground, taking a deep breath. He remained there for a moment on all fours, taking in his surroundings. He glanced at his hands. They were definitely _his _hands. He was alive, and he was in his own body once again. But there was something else. He could feel it coiling within him…something different…something that hadn't been there before.

The girl's power…He had taken some of it into himself in order to bind himself to life. Not much—not enough for her to use to control him, but enough to be problematic.

_Beggars can't be choosers…_he thought with a wry smirk.

He straightened up, picking Masamune up off the ground beside him and glancing around. He was in a forest of some sort, and it was around midday. Birds chirped in the trees above him, leaves rustling. He had seen pieces of enough worlds to know that he wasn't on the Planet. If he was, he should have been able to hear his Mother. But the world bore no resemblance to what he had seen of the others' worlds either.

_Interesting…_he thought.

"Sorrowful waters!" shouted a feminine voice from the forest to his right.

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed and he quickly jumped into the air, Masamune in hand. He flipped over once in the air as a wall of water suddenly shot up from the ground, missing it closely enough that he could feel some of the spray on his face. A second wall of water shot up, closer to the first one, as he finished the flip, landing on a rock and holding his sword at the ready.

Terra came charging out of the bushes towards him, hovering slightly in the air. As she neared him, she raised her hands up over her head. "Malevolent winds!" she shouted. Sephiroth jumped back quickly as three whirlwinds formed around her, sucking in the dirt and debris nearest her and tossing it up into the air. The wind around her dispersed, and Sephiroth seized that moment to rush forward, gripping Masamune in both hands. Streaks of violet light followed Masamune's slashes through the air, striking the air around Terra and dispelling her magic before she could cast her next spell. At the last moment, before the actual strike, Sephiroth flipped Masamune around in his hand, the flat side of the blade hitting Terra sharply across the stomach.

She let out a grunt of pain and flew back, slamming into a tree. Sephiroth immediately rushed towards her, pinning her between the tree and his own body. She let out a shout, the ice that had begun to form around her fingertips shattering as the back of her head hit the tree on impact. He angled Masamune so that the blade lightly touched her neck, his green eyes staring down to meet her own violet ones.

They were wide and frightened, but also defiant.

"Relax," he said, his voice low. His hair fell like a curtain around their faces. "I won't kill you."

Terra raised an eyebrow, disbelief evident in her expression. She was intimidated by him, though. That much was obvious. She was also well aware of the sword at her throat. She moved again, an attempt to wriggle out of this situation. Sephiroth pressed the sword lightly against her skin, a small trail of blood following it.

Terra froze.

"I took some of your power into myself to survive," continued Sephiroth. "It sustains me. If I killed you, I would only be killing myself."

Her eyes widened and he felt her stiffen. Sephiroth smirked down at her. "It's not an arrangement I would have preferred, but behave yourself and we shouldn't have too many problems."

He backed away from her and she fell back onto her feet, rubbing at the small cut on her neck. As he watched, white light surrounded her hand and the cut disappeared. He took two steps back, enough to give both of them space, but not so far that he couldn't attack her again or defend himself if need be. She looked up at him.

"…You can't control me, Sephiroth…" she said.

"Perhaps," he said, the smirk still on his face as he watched her. "But I need you alive, Terra. Your comfort is entirely up to you."

She took a deep breath, and Sephiroth's smirk widened as he saw her shoulders slump in resignation, a sigh passing through her parted lips. She lowered her hands, eyes downcast. A temporary armistice, then.

"Is this your world?" he asked.

Terra looked up at him at that question and shook her head. He saw her hands touch something around her neck as she did that. "No…" she said, after a while. "It's not. It's not yours either." A statement, not a question.

"If it were, I wouldn't ask," said Sephiroth. He looked around. "Do you recognize it?"

Again, she shook her head. "…It could be one of the other worlds…" she said. "The ones the others went home to."

"Then we should find out," said Sephiroth, turning around. Masamune disappeared in a flash of light as he began walking away. He took three steps and then stopped, turning around to see if she was following. Terra had not moved. She remained where she stood, an uncertain look on her face as she watched him.

"Let's go," he said. "…I won't harm you…as long as you behave."

She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated. "…H-How do you know I won't try to kill you?" she asked.

He smirked at her. The idea that the girl would attack him from behind when he had already made it clear that he had no intention of harming her was almost laughable. Such a thing simply wasn't in her personality. "You won't," he said, turning away from her and continuing to walk.

He had gone two steps before he heard her footsteps behind him, tentatively following him.

They walked for about ten minutes before reaching a road. Terra made sure to keep at least five feet between herself and Sephiroth as she walked behind him—a far enough distance to jump out of the reach of his sword should he change his mind. He hadn't spoken to her since leaving the forest. He hadn't even looked at her, except to glance back occasionally to make sure that she was still following. She hugged her arms close to herself, watching him closely.

The road beneath her feet showed signs of recent use—tracks from cartwheels and hoof marks in some areas. She had seen a road marker a few minutes ago that said they were nearing a city called Aris, although they still had a ways to go before they got there. They would probably reach it in around two hours, though, if her calculations were correct.

She swallowed, her mouth dry. What could she say to Sephiroth? She had fought him once before (that she could remember), but that had ended with no clear winner after Cloud and the Onion Knight had jumped to her rescue. Most of what she knew about him, she knew from Cloud. The Warriors of Cosmos had spoken with each other many times, especially towards the end. They spoke about their lives, about their counterparts, their dreams…

It had made it easier, especially in the journey leading up to the fight against Chaos.

"Halt, sorcerers!"

Terra looked up suddenly, eyes wide as a group of armored knights surrounded them in a half-circle, leveling their spears at them. One of them, the only one that was mounted, rode up to face Sephiroth.

"By order of Emperor Daeni, no sorcerers must be allowed to leave alive."

Terra saw Sephiroth straighten up, extending his left hand. Light gathered in it, a precursor to him summoning Masamune. Terra took a deep breath and gathered her courage, stepping forward with one hand clasped close to her chest. "Sephiroth, wait," she said, her voice soft and slightly uncertain.

Sephiroth stiffened, turning his head slightly to face her. His eyes narrowed. Terra swallowed, stepping past Sephiroth, turning towards the knights.

_I hope this is right…_she thought.

"…We're just travelers," she said to the lead knight, who watched her warily. From behind, she could feel Sephiroth's eyes on her. "We are unfamiliar to these lands, but we don't mean any harm to you or your emperor."

The lead knight looked past her, facing Sephiroth. "You aren't mages?" he asked. Terra turned around, eyes wide as she watched Sephiroth as well. He could choose to tell the truth here, she knew. If he revealed her magic, she would most likely be killed. Sephiroth turned towards her for a moment, an unreadable expression in his eyes before he looked back at the knight.

"No," he said, his voice deceptively soft. "We aren't."

"Then how did you come to be in our lands?" he asked. "You aren't citizens of this empire." As he spoke, his eyes drifted over their clothes. Terra shifted, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Her own style of dress would look slightly out of place in a world like this, but Sephiroth, with his more…modern style of dressing, probably stuck out like a sore thumb.

"…We traveled here by accident, from another world," said Terra, eyes downcast.

The men around her bristled at her words, and Terra caught a few enraged whispers of "Sorcery!" from them. The knight stared at her for a moment, before turning to face Sephiroth again.

"The emperor will hear your stories," he said. "He will decide your fate. Come."

Terra let out the breath she was holding as the men closed ranks around them, leading them further down the road. At least they hadn't been forced to fight, but Terra had the feeling they might just be stepping out of the frying pan and into the fire. She walked slightly ahead of Sephiroth, but not at the same comfortable distance she once kept between them. The circle formed by the knights was tight, with very little room to move.

Sephiroth took a step towards her, and leaned over to whisper in her ear, his breath brushing against her skin.

"_Never do that again_," he said slowly, his voice dark and threatening. He took a step back, and Terra shivered. Suddenly, the danger posed by an emperor and his men seemed far away, irrelevant compared to the danger that walked just a few feet behind her.

Aris turned out to be a large city, surrounded by imposing stone walls and battlements. The palace stood in the center, the grandest structure in what must have been the capital of the empire. It's emperor was a young man, a man who must have been in his late-twenties. He had dark brown hair and gray eyes, and regarded them with an aloof, almost lazy posture.

Standing in his throne room, surrounded by tapestries, paintings, and statues that only served to remind her of how much power this man had, Terra felt distinctly uncomfortable. She stepped back slightly, stepping behind Sephiroth again. He glanced at her, and Terra saw him raise an eyebrow slightly, as if asking her what had happened to her earlier bravado. She swallowed hard, trying not to notice that Daeni's eyes were on her. The setting was familiar, and it brought to mind unpleasant memories.

She rubbed her arms, unable to shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She didn't like the calculating look in Daeni's eyes, any more than she liked the questioning glances that she was getting from Sephiroth.

"You are not in any way connected to the Elisirians?" asked Daeni, watching the two of them.

Terra waited for Sephiroth to respond, but he said nothing. He glanced at her, the meaning in his expression clear. _'You chose to get yourself into this mess. Don't expect me to help you get out of it.' _She took a deep breath.

"No, Your Highness," she said. "We aren't from this world."

"Then how did you come to be here?" he asked.

Terra glanced at Sephiroth. He turned away from her, a small smirk on his face. She frowned, looking back at the emperor. "It was an accident, Highness."

"...Then, you have no way of returning?" asked Daeni.

"…None as of yet."

A small smile appeared on Daeni's face as he leaned forward slightly, steepling his fingers. "I see," he said. "What are you called?"

"Terra Branford, Your Highness," replied Terra. The emperor nodded.

"And you?" he asked, turning towards Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth."

"…Just Sephiroth?"

"Just Sephiroth."

The emperor nodded, then, apparently realizing that Sephiroth wasn't going to do much of the talking, turned back to Terra. "In your old world, what did you do?"

Terra stiffened slightly, lowering her eyes. "…I was just a traveler, Highness." If the emperor had doubts, he didn't voice them. Instead, he turned towards Sephiroth again. Sephiroth looked up, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"I was a soldier," he said.

"You can fight?"

"I suppose." There was genuine amusement in Sephiroth's voice now, although it was slightly dark.

"Well then," said the emperor. "I'd like to talk to you for a moment about a military problem we've been having lately. Perhaps you can offer some fresh insight. Your…" He glanced at Terra, pausing slightly.

"…companion," supplied Sephiroth.

"Your companion may rest. She looks exhausted. Keiran will show her to her rooms."

He glanced at a blond-haired page at his side. The page immediately straightened up, walking over to Terra.

"This way, Miss Terra," he said, gesturing towards the door. Terra followed him out the door and into the hallway, glancing back. The door closed behind them, and the last thing Terra saw of the throne room was Sephiroth glancing back to watch her leave.

A little over an hour later, Sephiroth walked down the hallway towards Terra's chambers. He had refused guidance, instead asking for directions to his own room and finding his way himself. Emperor Daeni had asked him to look at maps. Apparently, his empire, called Arisel, was at war with a smaller country, Elisire. Despite the fact that Elisire should have fallen months ago, they were holding their own against the larger empire. That was largely due to their magic, as well as the fact that their country occupied a large portion of mountainous terrain.

He had told the emperor frankly that he couldn't say what his forces were doing wrong until he knew more about Elisirian magic, and after much questioning, the emperor had finally let him go, leaving him free to seek out Terra. He frowned slightly as he remembered her earlier actions. If she had let him kill the soldiers on the road, they would not be in this mess, however, at the same time, he would have missed out on a lot of valuable information.

He was beginning to understand what sort of a world this was, as well as what sort of a ruler Daeni happened to be.

He walked over to her door and opened it, not bothering to knock. Terra's suite was, like everything else in this palace, lavish, although he doubted it would compare to the emperor's own chambers. What little he had seen of them had been nothing short of ostentatious. A large bed sat in the corner of the suite, partly concealed by a canopy. The floor was carpeted, and a round table sat in front of two large windows, surrounded by three plush armchairs.

The table was currently covered by a stack of books and a cup of steaming tea. Terra herself sat curled up in one of the armchairs, her legs tucked underneath her and a book in her lap. She looked up as he entered the room, and Sephiroth saw her stiffen. He eyed her current position. Tucking her legs in under her body made her look small, as if she was trying to hide, to disappear into the upholstery. It showed that she was insecure and unsure of herself, something that he had seen a lot in Cloud.

He would know how to deal with her.

"…I see you've found the library," he said, a smirk on his face as he closed the door behind her.

She stared at him for a moment, eyes wide. Then, as if his words finally sunk in, she jumped and nodded. "Uh, y-yes. Keiran showed it to me. It's…impressive."

"Mm," he said. "You seem to have made yourself comfortable." He walked closer, placing a hand on the back of one of the armchairs as he gestured towards the tea with another hand.

"It seemed as though you would be a while," she said.

"You were waiting for me?"

Her eyes widened slightly and she shook her head, looking down at the book. "No…it's just…"

"Are you familiar with palaces, Terra?" he asked.

She stiffened, and for a moment, he thought he saw a shadow pass in front of her eyes. Her fingers curled around the edge of the book, her face paling. Sephiroth waited for a moment. She looked up at him.

"This isn't any of their worlds either…" she said.

Changing the subject. It wasn't very subtle, but Sephiroth would let it slide, for now. He would find out about it sooner or later. He leaned forward, glancing at the book in her lap. It was open to what appeared to be a map. "How do you know?"

Terra pointed at the map, resting a finger on it. "We would talk…" she said. "I know the names of all their hometowns. None of them are on this map, and it's from two years ago."

"We have no way of knowing how much time passed since we were first drawn into the conflict between Cosmos and Chaos," said Sephiroth.

"Mm," said Terra, nodding. "That's why I took out historical records in fifty year intervals." She gestured at the stack of books beside her. "None of them make any mention of Baron, or Winhill…or any of the other towns."

"So we're in an entirely new world," said Sephiroth.

"It would appear so."

Sephiroth frowned, taking this information in. If they really were in a new world, he would need to find out more about it. Their current position in the emperor's palace might prove advantageous.

"Avoid using your magic, if you can help it," he said to her, straightening up and turning around. He would ask for directions to the library from one of the servants and take a look at some of the books as well.

"…Sephiroth…"

Sephiroth stopped halfway to the door and turned to face her. Terra was looking up at him, an unsure look on her face. "What is it?" he asked.

"…Be careful around the emperor," she said. "…I have a bad feeling about him."

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Then, he smirked. "And you tell me?" he asked. Terra flushed and looked away.

"…I just…" she began.

"Trust no one, Terra."

By the time she looked up again, he had already left the room.

Please read and review! Let me know what you think! Thanks ^__^


	3. Graviora manent

**Errata**

**By: **

**Mystwalker**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dissidia: Final Fantasy or any of its characters. The setting and plot for this story, however, are mine, as are any OCs.

Thanks and cookies go to the wonderful **KitaraStrife**, who once again acted as the beta for this chapter! Also, thanks go to **MinaDeville, serenbach**and **RaindropRose** for the faves and **MinaDeville, serenbach** and **yeahnobodyknows** for the alerts! I appreciate your interest in this fic! Keep reading and reviewing ^__^

**NinjaShiek - **Hmm...I wonder...Read on to see if you're right about the emperor! And thanks for the review, it's very much appreciated! I'm glad you like it.

**narutofan1091** - Thanks! I'm glad you like it! Keep reading and reviewing!

**OneWingedHeron53 **- I actually came up with the world on my own. It's not related to any of the other FF games. Anyway, thanks for the review! ^__^

**Intensify** - Yay! I'm glad you think they're in character! I was a little worried about that, especially with Seph. And Terra too...I didn't want to make her TOO insecure...

**serenbach** - Thanks, I'm glad you like it ^__^ I was thinking about it and I realized the pairing COULD work if I could just come up with a way to get them to spend some time with each other without fighting. So...this was the answer I came up with. Hope you like how it turns out!

.oO00Oo.

**II. **

**Graviora manent **_(Greater dangers await) _

"This is the clocktower," said Keiran as he led her up the winding stairs. "It's the tallest structure in the city, and the only thing that's taller than the palace. It's also the oldest building here…no one knows who built it, but it was here before the Empire took over."

Terra smiled at him, pausing on the landing to glance out the window. The clocktower had been the first thing she noticed when Keiran led her out of the palace to give her a tour of the city, and so it had been the first place they visited. They were more than halfway to the top now, and from the window, Terra could see that they towered over many of the buildings in the area. It was an impressive feat, especially given this world's level of technology.

"What was here before the Empire, Keiran?" asked Terra as they continued to walk up the steps.

Keiran glanced back at her, his blue eyes inquisitive. The boy reminded her so much of the Onion Knight. They were about the same age, although Keiran was slightly taller, and his hair was a light shade of blond. Because of this, she found herself developing a soft spot for the page that had been instructed to attend her. "No one's really sure, milady," he said. "The Empire's been in this location for almost a thousand years now. They say this used to belong to mages, though."

"I see," said Terra, placing a hand on the stone wall. She frowned. Like this, she could feel the stone vibrating, as if a power pulsed within the stone itself. She hadn't felt the same thing from the palace.

"Miss Terra?" asked Keiran, frowning at her from two steps ahead. Terra blinked, looking up at him, realizing that she had stopped moving.

"I'm sorry, Keiran," she said. "I was just thinking."

"That's alright," said Keiran, smiling. He turned around, continuing to walk up the steps. Terra followed him, a small frown on her face.

Two days had passed since she and Sephiroth arrived here. In that time, Daeni had questioned them once more, and had invited them to dine with him. He seemed more interested in Sephiroth than he did in Terra, apparently writing her off as just another girl. He had been a gracious host, though, and she really couldn't complain, but staying at the castle had made her feel restless.

It was Sephiroth, to her surprise, that finally suggested that if she was going to pace around the halls all day, she might as well explore the city. Keiran had volunteered to be her guide.

"It's hard to imagine that this tower's stood for all those years," said Terra as they walked. They reached another landing, and here, Keiran stopped in front of the door, turning towards her.

"Oh, the Empire's done many renovations over the centuries. Most of the stone isn't even original anymore. The only part of the original tower that still stands is that plaque over there." He opened the door, pointing towards a bronze plaque that was embedded in the wall on the far side.

Terra frowned, going over to it. She leaned in, but the sun was not shining through the window behind her, and without magic, she couldn't make out the faint etchings in the metal.

"What does it say?" she asked.

"No one knows," said Keiran. "It's not in our language."

Terra frowned, placing a hand on the plaque so that she could lean over to study it.

It was like getting struck by lightning. The moment her fingertips touched the metal, power suddenly pulsed through her body. She let out a gasp, the breath leaving her as she fell forward, onto her knees. The contact lasted only a moment, but in that moment, she felt something waiting beneath the tower. Hiding, slumbering, just waiting for the day it would be released.

It felt powerful…and familiar. Terra took a deep breath, her fingers brushing over the pendant around her neck. The glass beneath her fingers was cool and silent, but a few moments ago, she thought she had felt it resonate with the power beneath them.

"Miss Terra?" Keiran sounded alarmed as he put his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. "Are you alright?"

Terra turned to look at him, quickly letting go of the pendant. "Yes," she said. "I'm alright. I just…got a little dizzy for a moment."

Keiran frowned, obviously not believing her. "We can go back to the palace and rest," he said.

"No, it's fine," said Terra, placing a hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she stood up. She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm alright, really. Why don't we continue our tour?"

Keiran frowned. "If you're sure…" he said.

"I'm sure."

"Okay then," he said. "There's a balcony over here with an amazing view of the city." He turned, walking towards it. Terra followed him, the smile fading the moment his back was turned.

.oO00Oo.

Terra stood on a ladder inside the palace's large library, leaning forward towards the shelves. The books at this height had faded titles, and it was a little hard to read them, but she had a feeling that the book she was looking for might be here. She frowned, trying to decipher the title on a large leather-bound volume next to her. It was hard to see in the dark, and she couldn't make out more than the first two letters. She frowned and straightened up, glancing around her. The library was empty at this time of day, and the doors, while they were near her, were closed. If she was quick, nobody would even notice.

She leaned forward again, placing the tip of her finger on the book's spine. A faint light shone from her fingertip, illuminating the title: _Theories on Pre-Imperial Times._ Terra smiled, reaching out and taking hold of the book. Perfect.

"I thought I told you not to use magic," said a quiet voice from below her.

Terra jerked back suddenly, then screamed when she felt the ladder give way beneath her. She scrambled to find a foothold, but failed, falling backwards with the book in her hand. She landed right on top of a person, sending both of them sprawling against the library's tiled floor as the ladder fell with a crash.

Terra sat up, eyes wide as she placed a hand over her heart. It beat frantically in her chest, and she panted slightly. She turned her head, eyes widening further when she saw that the person she had crashed into was none other than Sephiroth, and she was now sitting on his stomach. He had propped himself up on his elbows so that he could look at her, a frown on his face. His hair trailed behind him onto the floor. She stared at him for a moment, breathing hard.

Her senses suddenly returned to her and she immediately scrambled off him, letting out a frightened squeak. "I-I'm sorry!" she said, feeling the heat rise to her face. He sat up and turned to face her, rubbing at the small of his back with one hand. As she watched, he stood up, glancing once at the fallen ladder before turning towards her. He walked over to her and extended a hand.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

Terra blinked up at him, surprised by the gesture. She took the hand tentatively, drawing herself to her feet. She tested her weight on her ankles, but it looked like she hadn't sprained anything. "No," she said quietly. "Are you?"

"No."

He glanced down at their hands. Terra followed his eyes, her face reddening when she realized that she was still holding his hand. She pulled away from him quickly, turning around hurriedly and picking up the fallen book. Her heart continued to race, warmth spreading downwards from her face to her shoulders as she gathered the book up in her arms. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Looking for something?" asked Sephiroth from behind her.

"Uh..mm," said Terra, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and turning around to face him. "I was thinking of finding out more about this world's history." She walked over to the nearest table, placing the heavy book down on it and turning to face him.

"I see," said Sephiroth, walking over to her. There was a small smirk on his face. "Any special reason behind your interest?"

"I felt something while I was out today," said Terra, sitting down. She looked up at him. He didn't take a seat, instead standing at the edge of the table and looking down at her.

"Something?"

"Magic," said Terra in reply, opening the book to the table of contents and skimming over it. Sephiroth frowned, resting his hand on the tabletop.

"You can sense magic?" he asked.

"Sometimes," replied Terra. "It depends on the source. For example…" She glanced up at Sephiroth, focusing on the pulses of power she felt coming off him. "You're carrying Firaga and Blizzaga."

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Then, he smirked. "Impressive," he said, walking over to the chair in front of her and sitting down.

"Your form of magic isn't too different from my world's," explained Terra, tracing the page with one finger as she scanned the words. "Both worlds primarily use magic through another source, instead of naturally such as in Cecil's world."

Sephiroth rested his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. "Your world uses Materia?" he asked.

Terra frowned and shook her head. "Not Materia, exactly," she said. "But something close to it. Magicite."

"Kefka seemed to be able to cast magic naturally," said Sephiroth.

"…He was a special case," said Terra, a frown on her face as she stopped reading. "He was infused with magic, allowing him to use it naturally, but destroying his sanity in the process."

"To what end?"

Terra lowered her eyes, wrapping an arm around herself as she thought back to the events on her home world. They seemed so long ago when compared to the time she had spent among the Warriors of Cosmos. How much time had passed since then? "…War," she said, quietly.

Sephiroth paused. "Terra," he said, causing her to look up. "You can also cast magic naturally."

Terra stiffened, memories suddenly washing over her. Blood…death…fire…the Slave Crown sliding over her head…Old fears returned and her hand twitched as she resisted the urge to touch the pendant again. She averted her eyes. "…How much did Kefka tell you about me?" she asked.

"Only that you were powerful," replied Sephiroth. "We didn't speak much. He was annoying."

She paused, her hand curling briefly around the edges of her book. "…I'm a different story," she said, at last.

She half-expected him to continue, but Sephiroth fell silent for a few moments. When she looked up at him again, he was still watching her, although he had leaned slightly back in his seat. She frowned, shifting uncomfortably under the weight of his gaze.

"…What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said. He looked away, a small smirk on his face as he stood up. "It's getting late. You should dress for dinner."

Dinner with the emperor…how could she have forgotten? Terra nodded, closing the book and following him out of the room.

.oO00Oo.

Terra made her way to the dining hall, gathering up the folds of her gown in her hands to allow her to move more freely. The maids had sent her four dresses to choose from, and out of the four of them, she had chosen this one. It was a light violet color, and the one that allowed for the most movement. Her hair had been let down for this evening, falling around her face and down her back in blond waves.

Looking in the mirror, she had barely recognized herself.

She stopped in the hallway, examining one of the nearby paintings. She was about half an hour early, so she had the time. There was still no sign of Sephiroth. As much as he made her nervous, he, at least, wasn't going to kill her, and Terra didn't want to walk into the dining hall alone. The idea of sitting at a table alone with Emperor Daeni made her nervous, and she twisted around the fabric of her dress in her hand.

Footsteps sounded down the hallway. Terra jumped, immediately ducking behind one of the pillars. She placed a hand on it, taking a deep breath to calm her heart. What was wrong with her, skulking around corners and hiding behind pillars like a mouse? It felt like all the confidence she had gained from her friends as a Warrior of Cosmos, and all the confidence she had gained before that, when she and her friends had beaten Kefka for the first time, was slipping through her fingers, leaving her the same scared, insecure girl that she had been at the beginning.

_Of course…being in a palace under the watch of a monarch who has a severe and irrational hatred of mages might have something to do with that…_she thought.

She shook her head at the thought, preparing to step out from behind the pillar. She glanced around, then froze when she saw who was walking down the hallway. It was Daeni, but he wasn't heading towards the dining hall. Instead, he turned and continued walking in the opposite direction, speaking in low tones with the man at his side. Terra frowned as she recognized the man. He wore a surcoat with Daeni's coat of arms on it, his graying hair cropped short. His face was scarred slightly, and he wore a short beard.

_Caelan, Daeni's military general…_

The fact that Daeni was talking to his general wasn't all that surprising. The country was, after all, in the middle of a war. It was the _way _they were talking that made her stop. The two of them had their heads bowed, and one of them would occasionally look up and check for any eavesdroppers.

It was almost as if they had something to hide.

_What? _thought Terra, a frown on her face as the two men left the hallway, entering one of the side rooms. She saw Caelan glance around to make sure no one was watching, before closing the door. Terra counted to ten, then stepped out into the hallway. She glanced at the door and at the path to the dining room, making a decision.

Terra took a few steps forward, staring at the door. She raised her hand to her ears, touching her ear with one fingertip.

"_Libra," _she muttered under her breath. Light shone from her hand for one moment, and at that moment, all of her surroundings became instantly clear. Her senses sharpened, her vision becoming acute enough that she could see the grains of wood on the door. Indeed, she knew exactly where to strike at the door in order to get it to collapse. She ignored this for now, focusing instead on her heightened hearing.

She could hear Daeni and Caelan speaking from the other side of the door.

Terra took a deep breath and turned, continuing to inspect the paintings that lined the other side of the hall in order to not appear suspicious. She kept her mind trained on the conversation going on in the room behind her.

"…_We'll move tomorrow," _said Daeni's voice. _"…Our scholars have discovered how to release the power that lies beneath the clocktower." _

Terra's eyes widened. Release the power? She thought back to the strength she had felt upon touching the plate. If that power were to run rampant through the city…

"…_My lord," _said Caelan. _"…The scholars have theorized that releasing the power may cause incredible damage to that quarter of the city." _

"_I'm aware, Caelan," _said Daeni. _"Everyone of note has already been evacuated. The people will want explanations after the power is released. You are to tell them that it was an attack by the Elisirians. It will give them cause to fight against them." _

Terra stiffened, her fingers curling inwards as she straightened up. Daeni intended to use a catastrophe as war propaganda? She almost couldn't believe how callously he had written off what must amount to hundreds…no, thousands of lives in his own city.

"_To what end, my lord?" _asked Caelan.

"_The final defeat of Elisire, of course," _said Daeni. _"…With that power, we'll finally be able to conquer their accursed magic." _

There was a pause. _"…My lord, forgive me for asking, but are you capable of controlling that power?" _

"_That power belongs to _me_, Caelan!" _said Daeni, raising his voice. _"I own this land. Everything in it is mine! We move tomorrow at noon. No more questions." _

"_Yes, my lord," _said Caelan.

Terra released the spell, her eyes wide and face pale. She had to stop this somehow…but what could she do? Acting against him would reveal her magic. Terra was strong, but not strong enough to stand against the entire force of this city. And Sephiroth…

"What are you doing?" asked Sephiroth from beside her.

Terra jumped and turned towards him, eyes wide. He was dressed in a deep blue suit, cut in the fashion of this world. She would have thought it funny—she was so used to seeing him in his characteristic outfit—but she had to admit that it suited him. He stared down at her, a frown on his face. Terra swallowed.

"N-Nothing," she said, quickly. "Waiting."

"Waiting for?"

"Well, for you…" said Terra, clasping her hands nervously in front of her and glancing to the side. "I…I didn't want to enter the hall alone…"

"Our host still makes you nervous?" he asked, amusement in his tone.

"…I don't trust him, Sephiroth," she said, keeping her voice low as she glanced towards the door. Sephiroth smirked.

"Neither do I," he said, walking past her and down the hallway. Terra remained where she stood, turning to watch him leave. He paused and turned his head towards her, a dark chuckle escaping him.

"Come, Terra," he said.

Terra swallowed and followed him down the hallway.

.oO00Oo.

Terra lay awake in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. Each time she closed her eyes, the emperor's words came back to her, along with other…more unpleasant things. Memories that she would rather keep suppressed. Memories that reminded her how much destruction could be caused by simply having too much power.

Memories of fire, and soldiers in the flames.

Memories of their screams as they burned.

She could not in good conscience allow that to happen again. But what could she do? Even with the power she possessed, she was only one person. It was almost unfair. One person could destroy the world, but one person couldn't save a few thousand people.

Not without getting killed herself.

She took a deep breath and threw the covers off herself, sliding out of bed. Terra reached for the clothes she had slung over the backrest of one of the armchairs, dressing quickly and tying her hair up in her usual ponytail. After a moment's hesitation, she reached for her sword and dagger, fastening them to her side with her sash. She seldom used her weapons, even when fighting against Chaos. She could never hope to have the same skill with them as she had with her magic, and as such, they were largely ornamental. But if she was forced into a fight, she could use them to defend herself without revealing her magical abilities.

She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her, turning right and walking towards Sephiroth's quarters. She stopped in front of the door, knocking softly three times. At first, she thought that Sephiroth hadn't heard her, and was about to knock again when the door opened.

Sephiroth stood in the opening, staring down at her. His hair was slightly messy from sleep, and he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose-fitting pants. Despite the fact that she must have just woken him, he was wide awake, his green eyes alert. His eyes narrowed as he noticed her state of dress.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

"Can we talk inside?" asked Terra, glancing around the hallway. Sephiroth frowned, but stepped back to admit her. Terra entered the room, closing the door behind her. Sephiroth's quarters were furnished much the same way as hers were, and she noticed that his table had also been occupied by a stack of books. Apparently, she wasn't the only one that frequented the library.

"What is it?" he asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall.

"It's the emperor," said Terra. "He plans to unseal the power underneath the clocktower and take it for himself."

Sephiroth's frown deepened. "And why does this concern us?" he asked.

"Because if he does this, thousands of people will be killed," said Terra. "And if he _does _succeed, he intends to turn the power against the Elisirians. He'll destroy them, Sephiroth."

"I know," said Sephiroth.f

Terra's eyes widened. "You _know_?!?" she asked.

"He told me. He asked me to be present. I believe he intends to have me assist him with his military endeavors."

"…And you didn't tell me?" asked Terra.

"I assumed…and apparently, rightly so…that it would disturb you."

"Sephiroth, if Daeni succeeds—," she began.

"He will not succeed," said Sephiroth, interrupting her. Terra's eyes widened.

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because I intend to take the power myself," said Sephiroth. "And I think I have more experience in things like this than he does."

Terra stiffened. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but this wasn't it. "…Sephiroth, people will _die_," she said.

"Why care?" asked Sephiroth. "These aren't your people, Terra. This isn't your world. You don't even know them. Why does the fate of this world matter to you?"

"Why does it matter to _you_?!?" retorted Terra, raising her voice slightly. "Why do you _want _this power if this world means nothing?!?"

"You misunderstand me," said Sephiroth. "…I don't want anything to do with this world. I intend to use that power to send us both to our respective worlds. You can continue doing…whatever it was you were doing…and I can continue my original goal."

"…Destroying the world," said Terra, her eyes narrowing.

"And making it anew," said Sephiroth. "…Don't look at me that way. What I do is none of your concern."

"I won't let this happen!" said Terra.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," said Sephiroth coolly.

"Yes I do," said Terra, taking a step forward. "I'm going to stop it, Sephiroth, and if I die out there, _so do you_."

Sephiroth straightened up, his eyes hardening as he took a step towards her.

"…Is that a threat?" he asked, his voice quiet as the moonlight reflected off his eyes.

.oO00Oo.

Please read and review! Let me know what you think! Thanks ^__^


	4. Inter spem et metum

**Errata**

**By: **

**Mystwalker**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dissidia: Final Fantasy or any of its characters. The setting and plot for this story, however, are mine, as are any OCs.

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update. Finals really threw me off. But they're over now! Anyway, here's a new chapter for you. Thanks go to **KitaraStrife** for beta-ing this chapter, and thanks also go to **Elizander** and **Lou136** for the faves and to **3dayzg, Intensify, Lou136, **and **Miims** for the alerts. It's appreciated!

_**Beta Note: Sorry for the later update than what Mystwalker intended. I had a lot going on the week she sent this to me, including my grandpa's 80th**__** bday and Mother's Day. -_-;**_

_****_**Intensify - **Thank you for the alert and for the review! And yes, that was...vaguely a threat on Terra's part. XD

**serenbach** - Thanks, I'm glad you like it! While outlining this fic, I tried really hard to space their relationship realistically. They are, after all, a hero and a villain. XD ^__^

**NinjaShiek - **Sorry for the late update, but here you go! I hope you like this, thanks for the review!

**narutofan1091 - **Yeah...poor Terra. Read on to see what happens, and thanks for the review!

**Elizander - **Thank you for the review! I'm glad you like it ^__^

**OneWingedHeron53** - I'm glad it's been interesting enough to keep you interested. Here's a new update for you!

**13kuroineko - **Ack! I'm sooooo sorry for making you wait, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it!

**MinaDeville - **Again, sooo sorry for the late update, but here it is. I hope you like it!

**Lou136 - **Well, yes, it's a vague threat, but not a direct one. Hope you like this chapter! And thanks for the review!

~XxXxX~

**III. **

**Inter spem et metum **_(Between hope and fear) _

Sephiroth stepped out of the room in the early morning light, rubbing slightly at the back of his neck. He had managed to heal any injuries through the use of Materia, but he still felt slightly stiff. Not enough to injure him, though. He tugged on his customary leather coat, covering up the slight burn mark on his shoulder. It would be difficult if Daeni asked where it had come from.

He looked behind him into the room, a smirk on his face. "I'm glad you see it my way," he said, his voice dark. "I'll come get you when everything's done."

He closed the door with a click, turning around and walking down the hallway.

~XxXxX~

Terra's room was empty when he found it, the bed unmade. Keiran frowned, looking around him. He glanced at the clock on the wall just to make sure he had the time right. Terra had promised to meet him at nine in the morning, to continue their tour of the town. He frowned, looking around. Her clothes were gone, so she must have already dressed.

She was probably in the bath. Keiran glanced at the door to the connecting bath chamber and walked over to it, knocking once. "Uh…Miss Terra?" he asked. "Are you in there?"

No response. Keiran leaned closer and pressed his ear to the door, listening for the sound of splashing water. There was none. He took a deep breath and swallowed, his face coloring. "I-I'm coming in," he said, as he opened the door slowly and peeked around it. There was nobody there. The bath was empty.

"Miss Terra?" he asked, looking around.

He walked out of her room, closing the door behind him and turning towards the door down the hallway. Was it possible that she was in…her companion's chambers? He flushed a bright red as he stared down at the door. After all…he had never really asked as to what their relationship was…

He turned redder at the sudden thoughts that followed from that, shaking his head quickly. At the very least, he would know where she was.

He swallowed hard, walking over to the door and knocking once on it as he tried to summon up his best polite page's voice. "Uh…M-Master Sephiroth…a-are you in?" he asked.

Again, no response. Keiran frowned and opened the door slowly, looking around. His eyes widened. The room looked more like a battlefield. The curtains had been slashed, and they were burned at the edges. A good number of the furnishings had been burned, and spikes of ice jutted out from the ground and through some of the furniture.

He went white. Mages! He had to tell the guards! He had to—

"Mmph! Mmmph!"

Keiran stopped in his tracks, looking around. The sounds were coming from the wardrobe. As he stared at the wardrobe, it shook slightly, as if something inside it was trying to get out. He quickly ran over to it, pulling the chair away from it and throwing the door open. Terra lay inside, her back propped up against the wall. A strip of cloth that appeared to have been torn from the sheets tied her ankles together, and her wrists were bound together behind her. A piece of cloth had been tied around her mouth, and at her feet, just a few inches from her, was a small glowing green orb. She looked up at him, eyes wide.

"Oh, Miss Terra!" exclaimed Keiran, pulling his pocket knife out of his pocket and moving over to her. He quickly cut through the cloth binding her legs, moving over and freeing her hands. She reached up and pulled the cloth away from her mouth, coughing slightly the moment her mouth was freed.

"Miss Terra, what happened?" asked Keiran. "Was it mages? Did they do this to you?"

Terra didn't answer, grabbing the small glowing orb. She held it in her hands and closed her eyes, tuning Keiran out as she focused in on the Seal Materia's powers. She tightened her grip on it, sending power into it in two quick pulses.

The Materia shattered, shards falling onto the ground below her. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling her magic return to her as she turned towards Keiran. "Has the emperor left?" she asked.

Keiran paused. "Y-Yes, Miss Terra," he said. "Why do you ask?"

Terra shook her head. If he was gone already, then they didn't have much time. "Keiran, do you trust me?" she asked, walking out of the wardrobe and picking up her discarded sword and dagger. She fastened them to the sash around her waist, turning towards him.

"O-Of course, Miss Terra," he said. "What's this about?"

"The emperor's planning something that could kill a large number of people," said Terra. Keiran's eyes widened.

"The e-emperor?" he asked. "But…Miss Terra…"

"You have to trust me, Keiran," said Terra. "We have to get to the clocktower."

She turned, running quickly out of the room. Keiran stared after her for a few moments, before swallowing once and following behind her.

~XxXxX~

Sephiroth stood on the rooftop of one of the buildings near the clocktower, Emperor Daeni and his general beside him. The general had not thought it safe to enter the tower, and so the three of them and the emperor's honor guard would watch from the top of the building. The scholars were inside now, working through the inscription on the plate.

"How much longer?" he heard Daeni ask the general.

Caelan frowned, pulling out a pocket watch from his vest pocket and scanning it. He pocketed the watch, looking up at the tower. "It's nine-thirty," he said. "Not much longer now."

"Mm…" said Daeni, nodding once.

Sephiroth turned his attention to the tower, waiting. A few more minutes passed, and then the ground began to shake. He stood there as the other occupants of the roof scrambled to find something to hold on to. After the initial rumble, he had already found a secure foothold on the rooftop. He smirked at the others and folded his arms, watching as they scrambled around in fear.

_Amateurs…_he thought with a derisive smirk as he watched cracks appear in the tower. It wouldn't be long now. He unfolded his arms, preparing to summon Masamune to his hand. He would let the emperor draw the power out, and then he would kill both of them and take it for himself. With that power, he would reopen the portals and send himself and the girl back, severing the link between them. He would return to his home world very much alive, and more powerful than he had been when he left.

The first thing he would do upon his return would be to go after Cloud and finish _that _fight once and for all.

This time, away from Cosmos and Chaos's power, when he defeated Cloud, the puppet would stay dead.

Everything would go according to plan.

Everything except…

"What's that girl doing here?" shouted Caelan, pointing at the street below.

Sephiroth's eyes widened slightly and he looked down at the street. Cracks had formed in the street, portions of it jutting upwards and piercing the air. People screamed, running from the site. Some of them stumbled and were crushed as the land moved, but the casualties were few. The tower continued to rumble, glowing with a gold light. And amidst that chaos, sheran towards the tower, her red dress setting her apart from the crowd.

Terra was running towards the tower, that page of hers following behind her. His eyes narrowed sharply, his fists clenching at his side. His face remained smooth, none of his anger showing on it. A boulder shot out from the tower, heading towards her to crush her.

Sephiroth mentally cursed the day he had taken her power. He should have chosen someone more…docile, although that was an impossible task among the Warriors of Cosmos. He glanced once at the emperor before running forward, jumping off the roof towards the scene below. He extended a hand, his black wing unfurling over his right shoulder as he glided towards her.

~XxXxX~

Terra ran through the city streets as the ground beneath them began to shake. Behind her, she could hear Keiran's frantic footsteps. He had followed her all the way out here, and continued to follow her now. The ground around them gave one great shake and Terra stopped to steady herself. Behind her, Keiran screamed.

"Keiran!" shouted Terra, turning around to face him. "It's too dangerous! Take cover!"

Keiran picked himself up off the ground, his eyes widening as he stared at something past her. "Look out!" he shouted, pointing towards her. Terra turned around, her eyes widening as she realized a large boulder was heading straight for her. She gasped.

There was a sudden bright flash of light, followed by a diagonal slash. The boulder split in two, the two halves falling to either side of her. Her eyes widened further as black feathers fell through the air, one of them passing within inches of her face. Sephiroth hovered in front of her, Masamune in his hand. His one black wing was extended, beating slowly. The wind blew through his silver hair.

He turned his head slightly to face her, his green eyes narrowed and angry. Terra swallowed.

"Sephiroth…" she began.

"We'll talk about this later," he said, turning forward as a fissure opened in the street in front of them. A massive fist punched through the tower's walls, a broken chain trailing from it. Another fist, and then a giant tore itself out of the tower, letting out a great roar.

"Ti-Titan…" said Terra, her eyes wide.

The fissure expanded, heading towards the three of them. Sephiroth flapped his wing, flying to the right. Terra jumped into the air, manipulating the wind around her to hold her up as she moved to the left. She extended a hand towards Keiran.

"_Float!"_ she said. Keiran let out a shout as his body lifted, hovering just a few inches off the ground and above the fissure. He turned towards her.

"M-Miss Terra," he said. "Y-You're a…"

"It can't hurt you if you're not touching the ground!" said Terra, interrupting him. "Stay back!"

She didn't check to see if Keiran followed her instructions, instead glancing towards Sephiroth. He met her eyes for a moment, before glancing back at the Esper in front of him. The Esper let out a roar and raised his hand, stones raining down from the Tower towards them. Terra held out her hand towards Keiran, a domed barrier forming around him. She glided upwards, weaving in and out of the stones. Once she cleared them, she extended her hands.

"Winds, tear the skies!" she said, extending her hands towards Titan. The winds cut through the air in front of her, heading towards Titan in several sharp missiles. The Esper crossed his arms, letting out a grunt as the projectiles hit him, knocking him back. Sephiroth flew forward at that moment, his sword moving in quick lines and cutting a gash across Titan's arm. He sprang back as Titan moved to swat him off, coming to hover in front of her.

"He can still hit us," said Sephiroth, not turning around to face her. "However, we have the advantage."

"Agreed," said Terra, nodding her head. She swallowed, reaching up and touching the pendant around her neck lightly. It was warm beneath her fingers, glowing softly with a white light. Titan swatted towards them and the two of them immediately scattered, flying in opposite directions and dodging the summon's great arm. Around them, people screamed.

Titan stamped his foot, spikes rising from the earth and heading towards them. Terra nimbly dodged hers, flipping over in the air slightly before raising her hand and sending more blades of wind towards him. Sephiroth moved forward again, slashing and causing the Esper to fall back. Titan stepped back, nearly falling back into the tower. At the last moment, he righted himself, facing them.

Terra's eyes widened, her mind racing. The tower! If it had sealed Titan before, it could do it again. She glanced up at the rooftop and saw Daeni watching her, his eyes narrowed in hatred. In his hand, he held a small crystal, one that was already beginning to glow.

If she could seal Titan before Daeni took his power…

Titan's fist suddenly slammed into her, sending her flying back. She flew back, righting herself before she crashed into one of the buildings. The blow knocked the wind out of her, and she wrapped an arm around her waist, breathing hard. A sharp pain at her side told her that she had probably cracked or broken a rib. Sephiroth turned towards her, blocking a blow with his sword.

"Stay focused," he said.

Terra nodded, taking her next breath in through her teeth as she turned towards him. "Sephiroth, the tower!" she shouted.

He nodded as if he understood, violet light surrounding his sword as he slashed at Titan eight times, the other seven slashes appearing only as violet light. Titan let out a bellow, stumbling back towards the Tower. At that moment, Terra came charging in, several orbs of light surrounding her. Sephiroth took that moment to fly upwards, taking to the skies and leaving her alone with Titan. The Esper stared at her, narrowing its eyes.

"…Daughter…" it said, in a grumbling voice. "…Why do you side with our enemies?"

Terra's eyes widened and she hesitated for a moment, hovering there in the air. Sephiroth came flying down, Masamune in both hands as he slashed into Titan. "Now!" he said, turning towards her.

Terra took a deep breath and fired the orbs at Titan, sending him flying back into the Tower. He let out a shout as he fell in, falling further and further into darkness. There was a shattering sound as Daeni let out a shout, the crystal in his hands breaking and the shards flying everywhere. Terra lowered herself to the ground, dispelling the Float around Keiran and letting him touch the ground as well. Sephiroth landed beside her, folding his wing. The shaking around them suddenly ceased, the street becoming eerily quiet as people froze in place.

Then, all those people turned towards the two of them.

"Sorcerers!" shouted Caelan, standing at Daeni's side and pointing. "Capture them!"

Terra's eyes widened. Before she had time to react, Sephiroth grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her back into the sky. She let out a shout as Keiran suddenly jumped forward, his hands fastening onto her sash. Sephiroth continued to fly, lifting the three of them into the air as Terra struggled, trying to push Keiran off her. He let out a yelp as she kicked him, continuing to hold on tightly.

"Wait!" he said. "Listen to me! We have to get out of the city!"

Terra paused, looking down at him. "What?" she asked.

"…The only safe place for you is Elisire," said Keiran, his eyes wide and afraid as he looked up at her. "It's north of here." He let out a shout as her sash loosened and he began to slip. Terra reached down with her other hand, catching him. She met Keiran's eyes for a moment before nodding, turning to Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth!" she said.

He nodded. "I heard," he said, before glancing below them. "Archers."

Terra took in a deep breath as they neared the city walls, extending her hand and forming a dome around them. Arrows struck the dome and fell away as Sephiroth flew over the walls, flying higher and higher. Below them, she saw the emperor beginning to form patrols of knights, sending them past the gates and into the woods. She took a deep breath and extended her hand towards the mounted knights.

Sephiroth shifted her weight, wrapping his arm around her waist instead as they continued to fly. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. He was very good at hiding it, but she thought he looked…strained.

"You can't keep this up for long," she said. "Let me…"

"Be quiet," said Sephiroth, not turning to face her. "Focus on the archers."

Terra stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Earth, rend the land in twain," she muttered, squeezing her eyes shut as the ground beneath the knights cracked, a fissure forming and sending them into confusion as horses threw their riders and knights landed on the ground. She kept her eyes closed and turned her head into Sephiroth's chest, trying to blot out their cries as the three of them continued to fly. He stiffened slightly, but said nothing.

After a few more minutes of flying, Sephiroth lowered them to the ground somewhere in the woods, far from the nearest guard patrol. He let go, sending Terra and Keiran sprawling against the ground. His wing burst into black feathers, disappearing. Sephiroth stood there for a moment with his back to them, and although she couldn't exactly hear it, Terra thought that he was breathing hard, just a little bit.

"Which way?" he asked suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he turned to face Keiran.

Keiran's eyes widened. "N-North," he said. "Along the main road."

"They'll be searching the road," said Terra.

Sephiroth nodded. "We should keep heading north," he said. "Off the road."

He didn't say anything to Terra, his eyes narrowed as he turned around and continued to walk.

~XxXxX~

Please read and review! Let me know what you think! Thanks ^__^


	5. Lapsus linguae

**Errata**

**By: **

**Mystwalker**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Dissidia: Final Fantasy or any of its characters. The setting and plot for this story, however, are mine, as are any OCs.

**A/N: **And again, I'm sorry for the late update. I'm also sorry for the relative shortness of this chapter. Next chapter will be much longer, and for those waiting for the Seph/Terra moments, the next three chapters or so will be full of them.

Thanks as usual go to **KitaraStrife** for being the beta for this fic. Thanks also go to **Ryuuax Shadow, SacredCrossRevelation, humanbeldot **and **X009** for the faves and to **ghost of gene rayburn, SacredCrossRevelation, Silvara, humanbeldot **and **TakeHeart** for the alerts.

**Silvara - **I'm glad you like it. To be honest, I was waiting for someone to write a Seph/Terra too, and when none came up, well…this fic is the result XD Sorry for the late update. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**serenbach - **Thanks! Glad you like it ^__^ As for Seph picking up on that whole 'daughter' thing…well…read on!

**NinjaSheik - **Here you go! Another update for you! Thanks for the review and for continuing to read!

**MinaDeville** - *sweatdrop* I know, but still, I feel kinda bad when I take forever to update. Aaaand…I did it again. XD;;; Hopefully I'll update faster next time, but thanks so much for reading! Now if I can only get the next chapter of **Sins of the Father** up on time…

**humanbeldot** - Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

**Elizander - **hehe, I wanted to set up their relationship first. But the romance is coming up, starting next chapter! (tip: keep an eye out for chapter 7). Also, Keiran is not a threat, so don't worry about him. =)

**Ryuuax Shadow** - Glad you like it! I was trying to think of a good summon to have under that building. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!

**OneWingedHeron53 - **Yep, I am using Espers for this story. It's going to have a pretty big connection to the plot later on, as is Terra's necklace…maybe…XD

~XxXxX~

**IV. **

**Lapsus linguae **_(A slip of the tongue) _

The morning dawned cool and clear, sunlight brushing against the landscape in waves. Terra groaned, turning over so that she was on her back. She opened her eyes. She was lying underneath a tree, sunlight drifting over her through the branches. A coat covered her. Terra realized it was the same one Keiran had been wearing last night. A part of it had been torn, soaked slightly with blood.

Blood.

Keiran…

Terra's eyes widened and she sat up, looking around. She was lying in a clearing in the forest. To her left was a small circle of ashes that had once been a campfire. To her right, something rustled in the bushes. She reached beside her, noticing that someone had taken off her weapons and placed them there.

_I…fell asleep? _she thought. _But…_

She frowned as she recalled the events of last night. Daeni's knights had pursued them for most of the evening. She had been forced to use much of her power to keep them at bay. Terra stared down at her hands. She must have overdone it and fallen asleep. It had happened enough times in the world of Chaos and Cosmos, after fighting too many manikins.

But if that was so, then where were Keiran and Sephiroth? She stood up, fastening her weapons to her sash and taking the coat with her. The two were nowhere to be found. For a moment, she felt a stab of fear. They wouldn't…leave her, would they? No. Keiran had already expressed his intent to follow her and Sephiroth had too much at stake to leave her behind.

Footsteps sounded in the clearing. Terra tensed and turned towards the sound, resting a hand on the hilt of her blade.

"You're awake!" said Keiran, stepping out from behind the trees and walking towards her. "I was worried you'd never wake up!"

Terra blinked. "…Keiran?" she asked, removing her hand from the hilt of her sword.

He nodded. "You don't remember?" he asked. "You did something…um…with the river…"

Terra's eyes widened as the memory suddenly came back to her. She had forced the river to flood its banks…the waters rising up and attacking their pursuers. She swallowed, feeling something twist inside her at the thought of what she had done to those men.

_It couldn't be helped…_she reminded herself. _They were trying to kill you. _

"…Are we safe?" she asked, handing Keiran back his coat. He took it with a nod of thanks, slipping it back on.

"For now," said Keiran. "They appear to have given up. We're a little far off from civilization…we shouldn't have too much trouble reaching Elisire."

"How long?" she asked. Keiran frowned.

"…I'm not really sure," he said. "But…maybe three more days, if we keep up yesterday's pace."

"I see…" said Terra. Three days. Three days of fleeing, hiding, and killing, only to arrive at a land besieged by war. She shivered at the thought. At the moment, though, they didn't have very many options. She would have to deal with it.

Another thought occurred to her, as she remembered yesterday's events. Titan. There were Espers in this world, living ones. If that was so…was it possible that…?

She raised a hand to the pendant around her neck, brushing it gently with her fingertips. It was a silly thought. Even if he was here, it was unlikely that he would recognize her. It was a completely different world. She turned towards Keiran.

"…Where is Sephiroth?" she asked.

Keiran shifted, looking uncomfortable. "Over…over there," he said, pointing off into the forest. "There's a stream not too far from here. He's waiting there. He seems to be…in a mood, though."

Terra frowned, thanking Keiran and walking into the woods. She followed the path that Keiran had indicated, eventually coming across the stream. Sephiroth stood on its bank, looking out into the woods. He had his back to her, and he didn't turn around, but Terra knew that he was aware of her. He was too skilled not to be. She shifted uncomfortably, suddenly wondering if he remembered what Titan had said to her yesterday.

She hesitated before she approached. The very air around him seemed to be cold, edged with his anger, even though none of it showed on his face. She gathered her courage and stepped forward, walking towards him.

He still didn't turn around.

"…I'm…awake now…" she said.

There was a long pause.

"…I noticed," he said, not turning to face her. Terra glanced away. What she had done in the city had been the right thing, so why did she feel guilty? Was it just because he was angry at her? Was she so weak-willed that she couldn't even stand by her own decisions just because one person—an _enemy, _she remembered, although not at the moment—disagreed?

She made a decision, walking up so that she was standing right beside him. She turned to face him, but he didn't do the same, continuing to stare off into the distance.

"Titan called you 'daughter'," he said, a frown on his face. "Why?"

Terra's eyes widened. It had been foolish to think that he would miss that detail. She shrank back slightly, wringing her hands together. "…I don't know."

"Liar."

"…I don't want to tell you," she said, trying to inject some conviction into her voice. At that statement, Sephiroth did turn towards her, but only for a moment. He met her eyes, then looked away again, not saying anything.

"...Keiran says we should arrive at Elisire in three days, at yesterday's pace," said Terra, quickly changing the topic. Sephiroth was silent for a moment, before turning around sharply and walking away.

"Then we should keep moving," he said.

~XxXxX~

As promised, Sephiroth led them at yesterday's harsh pace. When they finally stopped for the night, Keiran nearly collapsed—not used to this much travel. Even Terra, who was accustomed to hard travel from the recent conflict and from her first fight against Kefka, was relieved when they finally stopped. If Sephiroth felt tired at all, though, he didn't show it.

The forest was bathed in orange light, the last rays of sunset disappearing behind the western horizon, the sky red. Terra remembered from an old rhyme that that meant the weather would be good tomorrow; that was a blessing. Their pace was difficult enough without rain to make it harder.

She walked through the forest towards a nearby lake, carrying a bucket that they had purchased from one of the nearby buildings. Sephiroth had gone off to search for food, leaving the two of them to set up camp. She knelt down at the banks of the lake and began to fill the bucket, keeping her senses alert. A rustle in the bushes alerted her and she sat up, turning towards it.

A man in the armor of Daeni's knights stepped out of the bushes and walked towards her.

Terra stiffened and dropped the bucket, the water in it immediately rising up and surrounding her as she extended her hands, gathering her magic to her. The knight's eyes widened and he raised his hands up in front of him, palms out as his spear clattered to the ground.

"Wait!" he said. "I haven't come to fight you!"

Terra frowned and lowered her arms, the water falling to the ground with a splash. She turned towards the knight, wondering if this was some sort of trap. "Then why were you following me?" she asked.

The knight's armor clanked as he shifted position, looking uncomfortable. "You'll need assistance to get to the border, my lady," he said. "I can provide that."

Terra frowned. "…Why would you help us?" she asked, taking a step towards him.

"I saw what Emperor Daeni was planning to do, my lady," said the knight. "We were on the ground when that creature broke out of the Tower. You saved my life. I took an oath swearing that I would always act honorably, and killing you goes against that honor…"

Terra paused, remembering the fight against Titan. There _had _been a group of knights in armor there, huddled beneath an overhang as boulders fell. Titan had been so close to crushing them when she and Sephiroth had finally subdued him. Terra looked at the knight, trying to detect any dishonesty in his expression. She could find none.

"…Alright," she said, taking a deep breath. "Follow me."

She picked up the bucket again, filling it with water before walking back to camp. Sephiroth was there when she returned, standing in front of the campfire and facing her as Keiran skinned the two rabbits he had caught. He raised an eyebrow at her company, Masamune in his hand.

"…Sephiroth," said Terra as he stepped forward. "This man says that he wishes to join us."

Sephiroth frowned and stepped forward, looking over the man. "What is your name?" he asked, turning towards him.

"Cadeirn, my lord," said the man, bowing his head slightly. Terra stood in place, her eyes widening as Sephiroth walked past her, standing between her and Cadeirn.

"And why have you come?" he asked.

"To escort you to the border," said Cadeirn, standing up straight. He was almost as tall as Sephiroth, only about an inch shorter.

"I see," said Sephiroth. "How did you know we were making for the border?"

"It seems obvious," said Cadeirn. "Why else would you be heading north at this pace."

"There are many settlements between here and the border," said Sephiroth. "How are you so sure that we aren't heading for one of them?"

Cadeirn frowned, and Terra saw him stiffen. "You have a mage in your company. Nowhere in Arisel is safe for her," he said.

From where she stood, Terra could see a smirk on Sephiroth's face. "And you came here alone, after following us for the better part of the day, without a contingent of knights and soldiers following you?" he asked.

"That's correct," said Cadeirn.

"I see," said Sephiroth. He stepped back…

…and then slashed once with his sword, smoothly taking off Cadeirn's head.

Terra screamed as the head fell to the ground, Cadeirn's corpse slumping to the ground as well. Sephiroth turned around and flicked the blade once in a smooth motion, the blood on it flying off and splattering on the ground in a straight line. There was a flash of light, and Masamune disappeared as well. Terra stared at Sephiroth, white-faced, as Keiran stood up behind her, running past Sephiroth and over to the corpse. Sephiroth ignored him, walking up to Terra.

"You seem disturbed," he said, his voice laced with dark amusement.

"H-How could you?" asked Terra, her shoulders shaking. "He…he came to us in good faith!"

"How can you possibly know that?" asked Sephiroth, frowning. "I'd rather not take any chances."

"You…you killed him…" said Terra, tears forming in her eyes. Sephiroth smirked, turning his head slightly so that she was looking at him from the side.

"Are you going to cry, Terra?" he asked, the smirk still on his face as he turned away from her and began walking towards the campfire. "Stop pretending you're sad."

Terra watched him as he turned his back, her fists clenching at her side. She was still shaking, not from terror, but from something else, something Terra had only felt a handful of times in her life. Towards Kefka…towards Chaos…and now towards Sephiroth.

Anger.

She let out a shout of rage and jumped forward, gliding through the air towards him as she lowered her hands, placing her palms so that they were facing each other. A blast of ice formed in them, shooting out and heading towards him. Sephiroth let out a grunt as the ice struck him squarely in the back, stumbling forward slightly. He turned towards her as she pulled her sword free of its sheath, running towards him. Sephiroth moved his head effortlessly to the side as the sword thrust past his ear, catching her arm with his hand and throwing her back. He jumped back, the smirk still on his face as she recovered, raising her blade in her right hand.

"Are you going to kill me, Terra?" he asked.

He extended his hands to either side of him, but didn't summon Masamune, instead leaving himself open to her attacks.

"Then," he said, "Go ahead and do it."

Terra's eyes widened, her hold on her sword faltering. She lowered it slightly, before slipping it back into its sheath. Sephiroth's smirk widened as he lowered his arms, stepping towards her.

"You've killed men before, Terra, but always in the heat of battle," said Sephiroth as he walked. "Always when they were trying to kill you. You've never killed anyone when they were defenseless, never when they simply stood there and let you do it."

Terra's eyes widened at his words and she looked away, memories coming back to her in that instant.

Fire. Blood. Screams.

The smell of smoke and burning flesh filled the air.

Sephiroth stopped when he was right in front of her, reaching out and catching hold of her face with one gloved hand. He turned her head sharply, tilting it up so that she was looking him in the eye. Terra let out a grunt as he jerked her head towards him, her eyes narrowing as she met his. He was too close to her now. How had she let him get this close?

"You're not a murderer, Terra," he said in little more than a whisper, his smirk growing as he said that.

Terra felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Get away!" she said, suddenly, lightning crackling from her fingertips as she placed her hand on his chest and pushed sharply. There was a cracking sound and Sephiroth grunted as he stumbled back. Terra quickly ran to the right, the wind surrounding her as she glided through the air and into the forest. Branches snapped in her wake, twigs and brambles slipping through the wind and tearing at her arms and legs.

Terra didn't care, continuing to push herself as far away as possible, her hair streaming beside her as tears fell down her cheeks.

~XxXxX~

Please read and review! Let me know what you think! Thanks ^__^


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